Just ask FOX.
The television network announced today that it will air
Coors Light Pole Qualifying for the Aaron’s 499, moving it from FOX Sports 2
and marking the first time a non-Daytona 500 qualifying session has aired on
FOX. If it’s anything like NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying during
Speedweeks at Daytona, fans will see four-wide racing at 200 mph in an attempt
to gain the top starting spot at one of NASCAR’s fastest tracks.
“This shows the power of Talladega and what this race
track is all about,” said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch. “Our
drivers have three segments to get it done in NASCAR’s new qualifying format,
and there will be no time to waste. Talladega is famous for four-wide racing in
all our racing events. Now fans can get ready for it in qualifying.”
“This move is a direct result of the double-digit ratings
gains NASCAR’s new knockout qualifying format is delivering every weekend,”
said Bill Wanger, Executive Vice President of Programming, Research & Content
Strategy for FOX. “We are thrilled to be able to highlight this new format on
FOX, and what more exciting place to do that than Talladega Superspeedway.” 
The new format pits drivers against each other in three
segments. The first will feature more than 43 drivers in a 25-minute session.
After a five-minute break, the Top-24 drivers will advance to the second round,
which will be 10 minutes of on-track action. The fastest 12 will move to the
final five-minute dash for glory, with the quickest driver in the anchor
segment taking the Coors Light Pole Position.
“I think it’s going to be awesome,” said Kyle Busch, the
2008 winner of the Aaron’s 499, who is still seeking his first pole position at
Talladega Superspeedway. “I think it’s going to be some of the most fun sessions
we get to have. You’re going to have guys that try to get in a line of two,
three, or four cars, and then try to chase down the pack to see how fast they
can get going and what kind of laps they’ll run. Talladega is going to be a
whole pack of cars trying to figure it all out, so there’s going to be some
interesting moments there.”
Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson said, “a
lot of guys paid attention in Daytona to what the Nationwide cars did, and
there is a way to run a fast lap. It just depends on who you are trying to team
up with, who’s trying to work together, and how far somebody is laying back.
You know you are getting up to speed, and with a group behind you, you are
pulling them along at a faster rate. Do you abort your lap and try to catch
somebody else and tag on to the back of their draft? So, it is going to be
extreme – you can’t predict it. It’s just going to be out of control, in a good
way. There could be some wrecks because there’s going to be a lot of cars out
there.”
Denny Hamlin, also seeking his first pole at Talladega, said simply, “It
will be very, very interesting.”
Coors Light Pole Award qualifying is set for a
12:10 pm CT start; part of a huge Saturday at Talladega that also includes the
ARCA Racing Series’ International Motorsports Hall of Fame 200 at 10 am and the
Aaron’s 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at 2 pm. The day concludes that
evening with country music superstar Randy Houser performing the infamous
Saturday Night Infield Concert on Talladega Blvd.
To find out more, call the Talladega ticket office at
1-877-Go-2-DEGA.
Already have it on my calendar, but I'm laying odds that they'll have at least one "big one" during qualifying and that the owners will be screaming at Nascar if they don't modify the rules before the Daytona race in July. Any takers?
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see if there will be drafting or just single car runs for qualifying.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is it will be drafting.
ReplyDelete